Key retainer



Dec. 15, 1959 w. H. BRIDWELL KEY RETAINER Filed Aug. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WILUAM H. BRI DWELL ATTORNEYS W. H. BRIDWELL KEY RETAINER Dec. 15, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Aug. 22, 1958 INVENTOR H. BRIDWELL ATTORNEYS KEY RETAINER William H. Bridwell, Tulsa, Okla.

i Application August 22, 1958, Serial No. 756,649

s claims. (cl. '7o-459) My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a key retainer adapted for securely retaining a plurality of keys.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a key retainer which will be simple in structure, economical in manufacture, durable, compact and highlyefcient 1n use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key retainer having a key receiving portion provided with an opening through which keys may be inserted and having a spring for normally retaining this key receiving portion of this key retainer inserted into a tube.

Another object of. this invention is to provide a key retainer having a key receiving portion provided with an opening normally inserted into a tube and held therein by a spring and provided with an angular turned portion adapted to engage the end of the tube when the key receiving portion is pulled outwardly from the top against the tension of the spring as to hold the key receiving portion into accessible position.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

It is recognized that various modifications and changes may be made in the detail of the structure illustrated without departing from the invention and it is intended that the present disclosure shall be considered to be but the preferred embodiment.

United States Patent Y" Forming a part of this application are drawings in which,

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional View of the invention showing the key receiving portion drawn inwardly of the tube,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the invention,I

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention showing one of the key receiving portions pulled outwardly from the tube,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a slight modification showing the key receiving portion in normal position,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the modiiication showing the key receiving portion pulled outwardly into key receiving position,

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal central sectional view of another modification of the invention, taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the key receiving portion pulled outwardly into key receiving position,

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 6, taken substantially alongr the line 7-7 thereof, and looking in the direction of 2,916,907 Patented Dec. 15, 1959 lCC key receiving portion pulled outwardly into key receiving position,

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal side elevational view identical to Fig. 9, showing the strap holder retaining two keys against the body of the key retainer, and showing the key receiving portion in the normal key retaining position, and,

Fig. l1 is a bottom view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 10. y

In the drawings I have shown the invention comprising a tube 7 which is preferably formed of transparent material as plastic or the like and which is spaced at its opposite ends by the bushings or spacers 8 or 9 from an inner tube 10. This inner tube 10 may be made from metal or any suitable material. In the space 11 between the tubes 7 and 10 may be deposited a quantity of granulated colored material to add attractiveness to the structure.

Positioned within the tube 10 is a coil spring 12 having eyelets 13 and 14 at opposite ends thereof. Secured to each of these eyelets is a key receiving member. The construction of both ends is the same so that a description of one will suice for both.

The key receiving member comprises an open ring 15 which is open at 16 and provided with a neck 17 doubled upon itself and projected from the eyelet as 13 and terminating in the angular turned portion 18.

When the keys are mounted on the key ring 15, the same will normally be in the position shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. When it is desired to insert a key on the key ring 15, the same is pulled outwardly against the tension of 'the spring 12 and the angular turned portion 18 is In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown a slight modification in' which is employed a tube 19 inserted into which is a tube 21 having an end wall or cap 20. Mounted xedly into tube 19 is a partition 22 having an opening therethrough from which projects a rod 24. Embracing this rod 24 is a coil spring 23 which engages at one end thereof the inner face of the partition 22 and which is engaged at its opposite end by an eyelet 25 formed on the inner end of the rod 24. The opposite or outer end of the rod 24 is provided with an eyelet 26 in which engages a hook or key receiving member havinga neck 27 terminating in an angularly turned portion 28 whichin turn terminates in a key retaining ring 29 having an elongated end 30. The neck 27 includes a doubled over portion 31 which terminates in an angularly turned part 32 which, when keys are carried by the ring 29, is enclosed in the tubing 19 as shown in Fig. 4. When it is desired to remove from or replace a key on the ring 29, the structure is moved to the position shown in Fig. 5 in which the angularly turned part 32 engages the end edge of the tube 19 thus permitting the portion 30 to be ilexed outwardly so that a key may be easily removed or replaced. The tube 19 may be made from plastic material of any desired color for an attractive appearance. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the key ring or hook 29 is provided with a radius as 33 at the point where it terminates in the elongated end 30. As shown in Fig. 4, the radius 33 co-acts with the inner surface of the tube 19 to form an eicient and novel locking action therebetween, when the key retainer member is withdrawn inwardly to the key retaining normal position, by means of the pulling action of the spring 23. The ends of the key retaining hook or ring are thus drawn together.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show a further modified embodiment numerals followed by the small letter `the anchor or retaining pin 41. transversely disposed adjacent the end of the tubing 34 Aof the invention which comprises the tubing 34 which is open at one end thereof and closed at the other end thereof, as at the end indicated by the numeral 35. This embodiment 'includes a key receiving or retaining member generally indicated by the numeral 36 and'which "is constructed similarly tothe key receiving'member of the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5. Accordingly, the similar parts have been marked with corresponding reference 41. The folded over parts 31a and 27a are slightly longer in this embodiment and function as a guide shank. The members 27a and 31a of this guide shank are spaced apart laterally to provide a guide opening 37 for the full length ofthe shank. A guide and stop pin 38 is mounted through the guide opening 37 and the ends of lthis pin V3S are suitably fixedly mounted in'holes as39 inthe walls of the tubing `34. The stop pin 38 isl transversely disposed relative to the tubing Y34. A retainer coil spring 40 is provided to pull the key receiving member or Vhook inwardly to the normal key retaining position as shown in Fig. 8. The outer end of the spring 40 is operatively 'connected to the inner end of the guide shank and the inner end of the spring 40 is operatively connected to The anchor pin al is which is closed and this pin 41 is suitably ixedly mounted in the apertures 42' in the wall of the tubing 34 by any suitable means.

It will be seen, that when the key receiving hook is pulled outwardly of the tubing 34 to the key loading position of Fig. 6 the guide shank willslide on the guide and stop pin 3S to permit easy, quick and eiticient mounting of a key on the key receiving hook. When the spring dit is permitted to pull the key receiving hook inwardly to the normal key retaining position as shown in Fig. 8, the radius 33a co-acts with the tubing 34 to pullthe ends thereof together in an eicient locking manner, the same as iu the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5. The guide shank and stop pin 38 co-act to guard against the spring 40 being over-stretched to ruin the key holder.

Figs. 9, l and ll illustrate a further slight modification of the invention. The embodiment of Figs. 9, l0 and `1l merely illustrates the provision of a strap holder to lock the keys around the tubing of a key holder of the present invention instead of leaving them loose. The strap holder of this embodiment may be included in any of the embodiments of the invention. For purposes of illustration it has been shown as mounted on a key holder of the type illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. Accordingly, the key holder parts have been marked with similar reference numerals followed by the small letter b. The strap holder means comprises the elongated member 43 which is substantially hemispherically shaped in cross section as shown in Fig. 1l, and fixed on the Side of the tubing 34!) by any suitable means as by a suitable cement. The elongated member 43 is'disposed with the longer dimension thereof longitudinally of the tubing 34!) and is preferably made from a suitable plastic material or the like although other materials may be used as a lightweight metal.

The retainer member 43 is provided on the inner side thereof with an elongated groove or recess 44 through which is adapted to be received the strap 45 which may be made from any suitable material as leather or the iike. The strap 45 is looselymounted through the hole formed between the tubing 34b and the member 43 by the groove 44. The strap 45 is provided with the usual n snap retainer means generally indicated by the numeral 46 by which means the ends of the strap are releasably held together to retain keys as 47 and 48 in a snugY engagement against the outer side of the tubing 34b as shown in Figs. l0 and 11.

Experience has shown that a key retainer of this class is highly attractive to the user and most etcient in operation.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention herein disclosed arewell calculated to fulll the objects above stated, it will be ap preciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

l. A key retainer of the class described, comprising: a tubular body; spring in said body; a key retaining member having an inner loop portion connected to one end of said spring; a key retainer hook mounted on the outer end of one leg of said loop portion and adapted to be pulled against said tubular body by said spring for closing the hook to retain keys thereon; and, an angularly turned portion on the outer end of the other leg of said loop portion and adapted to engage the outer end of said tubular member upon pulling of said loop and hook outwardly from said tubular member for retaining said hook in a position accessible for removal and replacement of keys thereon.

2. A key retainer as described in claim l, wherein: said key retainer hook is provided with a radius portion terminating in an elongated end, whereby, when the spring pulls the hook to the tubular body the elongated end will enter the tubular body and the radius portion will engage the inner surface of the tubular body to provide a locking engagement therewith.

3. A key retainer as described in claim l, wherein: said retainer includes a strap releasably mounted around the tubular body for retaining keys carried on said hook in snug engagement with the outer surface of said tubular body; and, means on said tubular body for retaining the strap on said tubular body.

4. A key retainer as described in claim l, wherein: the legs of said loop portion are spaced apart to provide a guide shank; the other end of said spring is ixedly mounted in said tubular body; and, a pin is iixedly mounted in said tubular body and extends through said guide shank, whereby, when said loop is pulledout- 'wardly of said tubular body said pin will stop the outward movement of the loop to prevent over-stretching of the spring.

5. A key retainer as described in claim l, wherein: the tubular member is closed at one end thereof; a partition is mounted in said tubular body and has an opening therethrough; a rod having an eyelet at each end thereof projects through said opening in the partition and through the spring; one of said eyelets being positioned inwardlyfrom said partition and the other being positioned outwardly from said partition; the inner loop portion of the key retaining member being connected to the outwardly positioned eyelet; one end of said spring being connected to the inwardly positioned eyelet; and, the other end of said spring engages the inner face of the partition.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

